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| - I'm only in Charlotte for a month and plan on frequenting as many eateries as possible. Merts popped up on my radar after looking for a lunch spot open on a Sunday. Given that yelp only rated this place as a 3.5 stars, I was hesitant on going, but I really wanted to venture out and fill my stomach with Southern cuisine.
I purposely went early to avoid the lunchtime crowds and there was more than enough seats available. I debated between the fried chicken and shrimp dishes the night prior and settled on the shrimp Creole since there were mixed ratings on the chicken. However, when I told nut waitress that I have never tried grits before, she highly suggested that I try their shrimp and grits. And with that, my order for shrimp and grits went through. My waitress appeared within minutes with their famous cornbread. I am not really a fan of the dry, crumbly texture of cornbread on general, but this cornbread was moist and bursting of flavor. I now knew what was so great about their cornbread.
After several minutes, my order of shrimp and grits arrived. I wasnt expecting much given that grits do not have the greatest reputation--I heard they are bland, mealy, and literally gritty in texture. With a spoonful of brown gravy, shrimp, tomatoes, onions, and grits, I had a taste. This was Southern comfort food at its finest--the type that transports you to another era...back to the kitchen you grew up in. Granted, I'm not from the South but I could tell that this dish was made with soul. The buttery, creamy grits with the flavorful gravy and crunch of the onions. The shrimp were large and plump and well paired with the gravy. The focaccia bread was also great in soaking up the gravy.
For allb those looking for comfort food, try the shrimp and grits. Forget the fried chicken because you will be missing out on good ol' low country meals.
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